Coupler and yoke connection



June 12, 1934. E, H. LEHMAN COUPLER AND YOKE CONNECTION Filed Oct. 29, 1931 Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Edward H. Lehman, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application October 29, 1931, Serial No. 571,831

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in coupler and yoke connections.

One object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for connecting the '6 coupler and yoke of a railway draft rigging, including a locking element having shouldered engagement with the yoke and the butt of the coupler to limit outward movement of the coupler with respect to the yoke, together with means llfor holding the locking element against accidental removal, in the form of a detachable locking `key held in locking position by the usual front follower of the draft rigging.

A further object of the invention is to pro- Vvide a connecting means of the character described in the preceding paragraph especially designed for connecting a yoke for tandem draft gears to a coupler having a shoulder butt, wherein the coupler is fixed to the yoke for move- -ment in unison therewith in both buff and draft, the connecting means being in the form of a two-part member comprising a locking block insertable laterally of the yoke into interlocking engagement with both the yoke and coupler butt, and a removable key engageable with the block and having shouldered engagement with the yoke to hold the block against accidental movement laterally of the yoke.

Other objects of the invention will more `clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

in the drawing, forming a part of this specincation, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a yoke and coupler, illustrating my improve- `ments in connection therewith, a portion of the coupler shank only being shown. Figure 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 3 3 of Figure 2. And Figures 4 and 5 are detailed perspective views respectively of a locking block and a cooperating key employed in connection with my improved construction.

In said drawing, 10 indicates the coupler of a railway draft rigging, having the shank provided with an enlarged butt 11 presenting top and bottom transverse front shoulders 12-12. The yoke member is indicated by 13.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably employ a yoke of that type especially adapted for use in connection with tandem draft gears. The yoke as shown'in Figures 1, 2, and 3 has top and bottom arms 14--14, a vertical rearend section 15, a central wall 16, side Webs 17-17 at the forward end thereof connecting the top and bottom arms, and a transverse vertical wall 18 spaced rearwardly from the webs 1'7-1'7. As most clearly shown in Figure 1, the bottom arm 14 of the yoke is thickened at the forward end, thereby providing a downwardly offset section 19. Between the wall 18 and the webs 1'7-17, the section 19 of the lower yoke arm 14 is provided with a transverse, upwardly opening seat 20 adapted to accommodate a locking member. At the forward end of the seat, the rear end edges of the webs 17--17 provide front limiting shoulders 21-2l. Rearwardly of the wall 18, the bottom arm 14 of the yoke has a recess or longitudinally extending slot 22 adapted to accommodate a locking key, hereinafter more fully described. The transverse wall 13 is provided with an opening 23 therethrough, which is in alignment with the recess 22.

The locking block for connecting the coupler to the yoke is indicated by 24 and is in the form of a plate-like member having an upstanding transverse front wall 25. The block is tapered, as clearly shown in Figure 4, and has a pair of rearwardly extending fingers 26-26 defining a recess or locking opening 27 therebetween. The block is of such a length that it fits between the wall 18 and the abutment shoulders -21-21 formed at the rear edges of thewebs 17-1'7. As will be evident, the locking block 24 is insertable laterally within the yoke after the oouplerrbutt` has been disposed in the position shown vin Figure 1, thereby engaging the wall 25 with the lower shoulder 12 of the coupler butt and holding the coupler against outward movement. The block` 24 is held against outward movement by the shoulders 21-21 of the yoke. The upper arm of the yoke is also provided with a transverse shoulder 28 at the forward end thereof, which is in vertical alignment with the rear face of the wall 25 of the block 24. This shoulder 28 engages the top shoulder l2 of the coupler butt.

The locking key, which is indicated by 29, is of the form shown in Figure 5, having a relatively wide section 30 adapted to seat in the opening 22 and a narrower, forwardly projecting tongue section 3l extending through the opening 23 of the wall 18 and into the locking recess 27 of the block 24. As will be evident, when the key 29 is in the position shown in Figure 2, it will lock the block 24 against accidental lateral removal.

The usual front follower of the railway draft rigging is indicated by 32 and is disposed within the front pocket of the yoke 13. The follower 32 rests on the portion 30 of the key 29, thereby holding the same against upward displacement. The follower 32 overlaps the key 29 in all oper- 5 ative positions of the follower, thereby holding the key seated in the recess 22.

In assembling the coupler with the yoke, the butt of the coupler is inserted through the front end of the yoke and supported in such a position that the locking block 24 may be engaged therebeneath through lateral insertion within the yoke. Inasmuch as the locking block 24 fits the seat of the lower yoke arm, the same is held against movement lengthwise of the yoke. By

l5 shouldered engagement of the wall 25 of the block 24 with the lower shoulder of the butt of the coupler shank, the coupler is locked against outward movement with respect to the yoke. Inasmuch as the rear face of the coupler butt bears on the transverse wall 18 of the yoke, the

coupler is also held against inward movement with respect to the yoke. After the parts have been assembled as hereinbefore described, the key 29 is placed in position within the recess 22 25f'and the tongue thereof engaged through the opening 23 of the wall 18 and seated in the recess 27 between the fingers 26-26 of the block 24. The block 24 is thus locked against accidental lateral displacement. The front shock 30`-absorbing mechanism, together with the cooperating followers, is then placed in the front pocket of the yoke, the follower 32 thereby being engaged over the enlarged rear portion 30 of the key 29, thus holding the key seated in the recess 355'222, as hereinbefore pointed out.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modications 40j-that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a coupler and yoke connection, the combination with a coupler having the shank thereof "provided with an enlarged butt member presenting a transverse bottom shoulder; of a yoke having top and bottom arms between which the coupler butt is accommodated, said bottom arm of the yoke having a transverse, upwardly opening 5-seat adjacent to the outer end and a longitudinal recess rearwardly of said seat; a locking block within said seat, said block having its upper surface spaced from the inner surface of the top arm of the yoke a distance corresponding to the height 'of the butt member, said block also having a transverse, upwardly extending front wall in shouldered engagement with the bottom shoulder of the coupler butt to hold said coupler against movement outwardly of the lyoke; a locking key seated in said recess and coupler butt is accommodated and a vertical transverse partition wall between said arms against which the coupler butt bears, said bottom arm of the yoke being provided with a transverse seat forwardly of said wall, and a recess '5' rearwardly of said wall; a locking block within said seat and held against longitudinal movement therein, said block having shouldered engagement with the lower shoulder of the coupler butt to hold the coupler against outward movement with respect to the yoke, said coupler butt being held against upward displacement by the top arm of the yoke; and a key member seated in said recess and extending through said wall, interlocked with said locking block to hold the latter against lateral displacement with respect to the yoke.

3. In a coupler and yoke connection, the combination with a coupler having the shank thereof provided with an enlarged butt member presenting a transverse bottom shoulder; of a yoke having top and bottom arms between which the coupler butt ts, the outer ends of said arms being connected by spaced vertical webs, said yoke having a transverse wall rearwardly of said webs connecting said yoke arms, said wall forming abutment means for the rear end of the coupler butt, said lower arm of the yoke being provided with a transverse seat rearwardly of said webs and forwardly of said wall, said wall having a key receiving opening therethrough; a locking block in said seat, beneath the coupler butt, said block being held against longitudinal movement in said seat, said block having a transverse front wall shouldered against the lower shoulder of the coupler butt; and a key extending through the opening of said wall and interlocked with said block to hold the latter against accidental lateral displacement.

4. In a coupler and yoke connection, the combination with a coupler having the shank thereof provided with an enlarged butt member presenting a transverse bottom shoulder; of a yoke having top and bottom arms between which the coupler butt is accommodated, the outer ends of said arms being connected by spaced side webs, said yoke having a transverse wall spaced inwardly from said webs, said wall connecting the arms of the yoke, said wall also forming abutment means for the rear end of the coupler butt, said lower arm of the yoke being provided with a transverse seat rearwardly of the webs and forwardly of said wall, said bottom arm also having a recess rearwardly of said wall; a locking block in said seat, on which the coupler butt is supported, said block having a transverse front wall in shouldered engagement with the lower shoulder of the coupler butt, the upper edge of said wall being spaced from the inner face of the top arm of the yoke a distance less than the height of the coupler butt; and a locking key seated in said recess, extending through said wall and having shouldered engagement with the block to hold the same against lateral removal from the yoke.

5. In a coupler and yoke connection, the combination with a coupler having the shank thereof provided with an enlarged butt member presenting a transverse bottom shoulder; of a yoke having top and bottom arms between which the coupler substantially fits, the outer ends of said arms being connected by spaced side webs, said yoke having a transverse wall spaced inwardly from said webs, said wall connecting the arms of the yoke, said Wall also forming abutment means for the rear end of the coupler butt, said lower arm of the yoke being provided with a transverse depressed seat rearwardly of the webs and forwardly of said wall, said bottom arm also 1 lOl having a recess rearwardly of said Wall; a locking block in said seat having its top surface flush with the upper face of the bottom arm of the yoke, the coupler butt being supported on said top surface of the block, said block having an upstanding transverse front wall in shouldered engagement with the lower shoulder of the coupler butt; a locking key seated in said recess, extending through said wall and having shouldered engagement with the block to hold the same against lateral removal from the yoke; and a front follower within the yoke rearwardly of said wall and resting on the key to hold the latter seated in said recess.

6. In a coupler and yoke connection, the combination with a coupler having the shank thereof provided with an enlarged butt member presenting top and bottom transverse shoulders; of a yoke having top and bottom arms between which the coupler butt is accommodated, the outer ends of said arms being connected by spaced side webs, said top arm of the yoke having a transverse shoulder, said yoke having a transverse wall spaced inwardly from said webs, said wall connecting the arms of the yoke, said wall also forming abutment means for the rear end of the coupler butt, saidlower arm of the yoke being provided with a transverse seat rearwardly of the webs and forwardly of said wall, said bottom arm also having a longitudinal slot rearwardly of said wall; a locking block in said seat, on which the coupler butt is supported to engage the top shoulder thereof with the shoulder of the top arm of the yoke, said block having a transverse front wall in engagement with the lower shoulder of the coupler butt, said block having a longitudinal opening in the rear thereof and a locking key seated in said slot and extending through said wall into the recess of the block to hold the block against lateral removal.

EDWARD H. LEHMAN. 

